Truman wins "Best News Story"
Today, my journalism student Tomás Martínez Guerra won First Place for Best News Story at the Illinois Community College Journalism Association (ICCJA) spring conference. Click on the picture (above) to see his winning story, "12 million shadows in limbo: Elvira Arellano and the immigration debate," as originally published in Truman's Uptown Exchange (Spring 2007).
Professional judges commented that the story included a "Nice focus on the personal story as a springboard into coverage of the larger issue ... Very well written, cleanly edited."
Of course I'm proud of this award.
Tomás originally workshopped this story in my News Reporting & Writing class and published it under my advisement in College Newspaper. He won 1st place in ICCJA's Division II, "Tri-Weeklies/Monthlies over 5,000 [student population]," which includes such competitor schools as Wright College and Harold Washington College.
This was the newspaper's first chance to enter the contest, and I look forward to more awards for our hard work at future journalism conferences! Please join me in congratulating Truman's students, journalism program, and college newspaper.
Truman J-Student Gets Published
I'm proud of my College Newspaper student, LAUREN VANDERMAR, who has started writing as an official freelance journalist, with her first paid and published piece for the Chicago Journal. I'm happy to say that what I teach in the classroom leads directly to success outside of the classroom! CONGRATS!!!
Truman Student Newspaper Archive
See Truman's Uptown Exchange in PDF format.
SPRING 2008 #3
SPRING 2008 #2
SPRING 2008 #1
FALL 2007
SPRING 2007 #2
SPRING 2007 #1
FALL 2006
Journalism Guest Speaker Series (FALL 2007)
News Reporting & Writing and the Uptown Exchange student newspaper at Truman College welcome you to join in the following talks with professional journalists on a variety of topics, including how to pursue stories for publication and broadcast.
ABOVE: Award-winning photo-journalist Jon Lowenstein took this shot of border-crossers detained in Texas — Lowenstein talks about his work on Latinos, labor, and immigration on Oct. 3 (SEE DETAILS BELOW).
SCHEDULE
All sessions take place at Truman College (1145 W. Wilson, Uptown, Chicago).
Mon., Sept. 17, 11:30am, Room #2973 — Former feature writer and editor of the Wilmington Morning Star in North Carolina, CLIFTON TRUMAN DANIEL directs Public Relations and writes web stories that represent Truman College to the world. Daniel will speak on his journalism experiences and the differences between news writing and PR. He will also talk about specific approaches to on-line reporting and writing.
Wed., Sept. 19, 11:30am, Room #2973 — Staff writer at the Pioneer Press News-Star, LORRAINE SWANSON covers neighborhood news and public interest issues for the community newspaper that carries stories about Uptown and other North Side neighborhoods. Swanson will speak about covering a community beat.
Wed., Oct. 3, 1pm, Main Lobby — KEYNOTE PRESENTATION & LATINO HERITAGE EVENT: Investigative reporter and Medill School of Journalism graduate JEFF KELLY LOWENSTEIN writes as a staffer for the Chicago Reporter. He'll join forces with his brother, JON LOWENSTEIN, to talk about their recent investigations on undocumented Latino immigrants, featuring a hard-hitting photo slide-show. Also, ANTONIO ROSAS-LANDA visits from HOY newspaper, Chicago's Spanish-language daily, where he works as Senior Editor of the Editorial Page. He'll talk about the significance of opinion pages for Chicago Latino journalism.
Mon., Oct. 15, 11:30am, Room #2973 — Truman student at large KARI McCLEAN represents The Night Ministry as Coordinator for Public & Media Relations. In Spring 2005, she completed the News Reporting & Writing class and contributed articles to the Uptown Exchange premiere issue. Students will learn answers to the question: What can you do with the journalism program at Truman?
Mon., Oct. 29, 11:30am, Room #2973 — Truman Communications faculty ROBERT HUGHES has had a distinguished teaching career notable also for his publishing of a book-length memoir and regular contributions to the Chicago Tribune, WBEZ's "848," and the "My Turn" section of Newsweek. Hughes will talk about how he started writing and how he now teaches students to become perspective writers.
Wed., Nov. 7, 11:30am, Room #2973 — TORI MARLAN has been a feature writer for the Chicago Reader since 1995. She has won three Peter Lisagor Awards for exemplary journalism, an Association of Alternative Newsweeklies award for social reporting, and a Herman Kogan Award for writing about legal affairs. She has also contributed to The Christian Science Monitor, the Utne Reader, and the public-radio show This American Life.
Wed., Nov. 7, 12:30pm, Room #2973 — Former Truman student and managing editor of the first Uptown Exchange, EZEKIEL "Zeek" GARNETT (first in the back row of the photo above) talks about transferring to Columbia College and writing for the student magazine, in which he published a piece on Chicago police surveillance cameras. Zeek will talk about his experiences post-Truman and what he's been up to as an undergraduate journalist.
Mon., Dec. 3, 11:30am, Room #2973 — With expertise from the University of Chicago Latin American Studies program, AARON COHEN covers jazz and world music as Associate Editor of DownBeat Magazine. He'll discuss music journalism and arts writing.
Mon., Dec. 10, 11:30am, Room #2973 — Award-winning journalist and Medill graduate ROXANE ASSAF works at Truman as Director of Teaching and Learning Programs, in addition to having been a television producer, disc jockey, documentary filmmaker, essayist, and performance artist. Her work in Bethlehem and Jerusalem won a 2002 National Arab Journalists Association's Excellence in Journalism Award.
Truman Journalism On-line
DOWNLOAD PDF COPIES OF THE TRUMAN COLLEGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER:
SPRING 2007 #5
SPRING 2007 #4
SPRING 2006
Spring Journalism Classes
Download info about English 150: College Newspaper to learn how you may earn Truman college credits while working at the Uptown Exchange.
Here, also, is the complete Uptown Exchange handbook.
Spring 2006 Issue of Uptown Exchange
Download a PDF copy of the Spring 2006 Uptown Exchange issue here.
JOIN! Fall 2006
Download a College Newspaper application as a Word document, fill it out, and then send it as an attachment (ben@benortiz.com) or drop off a hardcopy at one of our FALL 2006 MEETINGS:
WEDNESDAYS, 12:30pm, Rm. #2973!
ALSO: Download a course summary of English 150: College Newspaper, for more details on how to earn college credit by participating!